Back in the 1980s, the first time I ate Thanksgiving with my late wife’s family, I was introduced to this unusual dessert. It’s not exactly unheard of; I had no trouble finding recipes and pictures on the web, and our version was originally from one of the popular Sunset Magazine cookbooks, but I’ve never talked to anyone else who’s eaten a pumpkin flan. As Martha Stewart describes, “If pumpkin pie married caramel custard, their offspring would look like this”. And even better, you can set it on fire!
It’s a fair amount of work, but delicious and I’ve always thought worth it. Much better than a pie. None of the individual steps is difficult, but you have to get the timing figured out with everything else you’re cooking. If you put this in the oven right when the turkey comes out the wait between dinner and dessert isn’t excessive. Let me know if you try it.
Pumpkin Flan
serves 8-12
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin (16 oz can is close enough)
2/3 cup sugar
6 eggs plus 2 yolks, beaten
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg or mace
1/4 tsp ginger
3 cups half-and-half, scalded
1/4 cup rum
1/4 cup brandy
whipped cream
Ahead of time: put a 2-quart round glass baking dish in the freezer.
Melt 1-1/4 cups sugar in heavy skillet. Pour into well-chilled baking dish, swirl CAREFULLY to coat bottom and sides of dish. Return to freezer. This can be done long before needed.
Scald the half-and-half, which means heat it until almost but not quite boiling, when little tiny bubbles start forming. Remove from heat and let cool a little.
Preheat oven to 350. Mix pumpkin, remaining sugar, beaten eggs, spices, scalded half-and-half and rum. Pour into caramel-lined baking dish. Set this dish in a larger dish with hot water about 1" deep. Bake at 350 for 1-1/4 hours or until set.
Cool at room temperature 30 minutes. Invert onto plate; after 10 minutes lift off the baking dish. Pour on brandy, flame, and serve with whipped cream. Don't cool any longer than recommended because it needs to be warm to vaporize the brandy.
I have successfully cut this in half, it needs to cook the same length of time but you can reduce the cooling time.
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What’s for dinner at your place? Could you write about it for a future WFD? Message ninkasi23 if you can.
When this posts I’ll be at a football game. Dinner in the parking lot will include chicken and steak fajitas and lots of beer. Go Cardinal! I’ll check in tomorrow to reply to questions.